Northwestern chosen as first site for national stem cell research trial
Northwestern University has been named the first of six centers nationwide that will participate in a groundbreaking embryonic stem cell research trial that could revolutionize spinal cord injury treatment. The study will investigate the effects of oligodendrocyte progenitors, special stem cells that are purported to insulate the axons of damaged nerve cells in spinal cord tissue.
A successful transplantation of these stem cells could lead to some restoration of neuromuscular functioning and sensation in patients with acute spinal cord injuries. The major goal of the experiment is to first determine whether patients can safely tolerate such a procedure, said lead investigator Dr. Richard Fessler, a professor of neurological surgery at the Feinberg School of Medicine.
“This is the first study of its kind being done … and the ultimate goal is safety,” Fessler said. “The secondary goal will be to determine if there is any restore in function.”
The trial, funded by American biotechnology company Geron, will enlist, treat and follow up on eight individuals from around the country who suffer from injuries to the thoracic, or chest, region of the spinal cord. Participants will receive the stem cell transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital before undergoing a variety of therapeutic and rehabilitative services at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
The unique partnership between both medical facilities made NU a preferred site for the national trial, said Dr. David Chen, medical director of the RIC Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program.
The cure for paralysis has so far proved elusive – however, this study may very well provide researchers with a safe and ultimately effective tool to combat the disability. Fessler said he is optimistic and believes it is only a matter of time before science makes another breakthrough.
“Just like any cancer, we will figure out how to treat paralysis successfully,” he said. “This (study) is one of those small steps.”
Feinberg named one of 18 international sites for Parkinson’s study
The Feinberg School of Medicine’s Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center has been chosen as one of 18 establishments from across the United States and Europe to take part in the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative, a five-year long study funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation to discover new biological indicators of the disease.
The project enrolled 400 subjects diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease along with 200 non-Parkinson’s participants to obtain a better idea of what sets these two groups of people apart. There are a number of measurable entities in the body that can serve as indicators or “biomarkers,” of the disease and track its progression, said Dr. Tanya Simuni, director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center and primary investigator for the trial. The trial is intended to identify novel Parkinson’s biomarkers that can be used to develop therapeutics for the disease. Researchers will use cutting-edge imaging techniques like advanced MRI and nuclear imaging, as well as collect blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid samples.
“It is the most comprehensive study of its kind,” Simuni said, “and will collect a data set that will be used by the Parkinson’s research community at large.”
